Congratulations to the Winners
by the KinoCritics

Douglas Sirk Prize to
director Julian Schnabel for his life’s work. Current film: Miral

Miral
Miral won the Douglas Serk prize at this year’s Hamburg Filmfest, and deservedly so. Julian Schnabel is a brave man to direct a movie about Palestine which isn’t about the Jewish struggle for existence, but he has succeeded in giving a fair and balanced account of life there since the State of Israel came into being in 1948.
Hind Husseini (a real person) was a young woman living in Jerusalem at that time. One day, on her way to work, she came across a group of 55 children huddled together in the street. These traumatised Palestinian children had lost their parents as the equally traumatised Jews began to take back their ancient homeland. Ms. Husseini (Hiam Abbas) took the children home and settled them into an orphanage. As their numbers grew she founded more orphanages  and decided that the orphans would all be educated so that they in turn could go out to the Palestinian refugee camps and teach the children there. These schools and orphanages are still in operation today and are continuing her policy of educating the refugee children to practice peace and cooperation.
The girl of the title Miral (Frieda Pinto) was sent to the orphanage when she was seven years old after the death of her troubled mother. When Miral grows up she is outraged at what she sees as the injustices which the Palestinian people suffer. She becomes involved in street protests, despite Ms. Husseini’s pleas. Miral suffers for her tiny part in her nation’s struggle, but she is a survivor and is someone who is now resolute in the belief that peace between Jews and Palestinians can prevail.
Julian Schnabel’s documentary style movie is set against the desolate beauty of the Holy Land. He tries to take a balanced view of the problems of that part of the world and manages to give the audience a feeling of hope for the future of all its people. (JM)

The International Art Cinema Industry Award (CICAE, Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’art et dèssai) of Euro 5000 to
Nowhere Boy, director Sam Taylor-Wood, Great Britain/Canada

Nowhere Boy ****
Starts December 8
A storyline not fully covered from a Lennon/Beatles project is the premise of filmmaker
Sam Taylor-Wood’s directorial feature début in Nowhere Boy. Wood, along with Ecosse films, muse over a part of John Lennon’s growing-up years in Woolton, Liverpool, during the 1950s. Wood allows the film to echo a distant and troubled past of Lennon’s life  using his own words and quotes about his childhood that led toward his famed Beatle journey. John Lennon (Aaron Johnson), at the age of fifteen, is a rebellious lad reacting to a strict upbringing by his Aunt Mimi (Kristan Scott Thomas) often causing unbearable tension. The relationship between Aunt Mimi’s husband, Uncle George (David Threlfall) and John, was different. George’s kind demeanor was the balance welcomed from Aunt Mimi’s harsh traditional ways, even though she loved John as much or more than her husband. One day while John and George were playing silly games, George falls dead from a massive heart attack. John’s immediate loneliness coupled with the thought of living without George under Aunt Mimi’s roof becomes a nightmare until his cousin introduces John to his birth mother, Julia (Anne-Marie Duff) who lives less than a mile away.

Julia agrees to see John under the condition that he keeps their meeting a secret from his aunt.
He agrees but doesn’t understand the full implication for the secrecy and, like a typical fifteen- year-old, he doesn’t care to be bothered with the information. John is thrilled to get to know
Julia because she is every son’s dream of a mother: loving, beautiful, talented and fun. She introduces John to her musical interests of rock ‘n’ roll and teaching him to strum on a guitar.
John cons Aunt Mimi to buy him a guitar and tries to start a band but needs better talent to accompany his vocals and lyrical tunes. A kind-hearted kid, Paul McCartney (Thomas Brodie Sangster), auditions for a spot and John takes him on, proving to be one of the best decisions he ever makes. The two boys begin their career practicing at Mimi’s house often under duress but their passion for making music helps them to cope under her parental control. Just about the time John is feeling good about life, tragedy strikes. Heartbroken  and feeling like a lost boy, Lennon …”gets by with a little help from his friends”…and within  a few months, he heads off to Hamburg, Germany, with three other band members from  Liverpool chartering the ride of his life. Played at the 2010 Sundance and Hamburg film festivals. (Karen Pecota)

(Second opinion)

Nowhere Boy ****
Starts December 8
Samantha Taylor-Wood and scriptwriter Matt Greenhalgh present a moving and dramatic story of a boy growing up between two women squabbling for his attention, namely tight-lipped aunt Mimi (excellently played by Kristin Scott Thomas) who looks after him and his flirtatious young mother Julia (Anne-Marie Duff) who abandoned him when he was only five years old. This is the background of rebellious but sensitive John Lennon in his teens (excellently portrayed by Aaron Johnson).

The carefully arranged set in the style of the 1950s transports the atmosphere of post WWII England perfectly. Rebellion against the establishment and restlessness of the new generation is in the air. Elvis Presley is the hero of the day and young John wants to become like him. He finds an outlet for his anger and frustration by vigorously strumming his guitar. The temporary reunion with his mother – played by a vibrant Anne-Marie Duff – is more confusing than helpful to the teenager. The relationship seems almost incestuous when she dances and parties with her son. But she also introduces him to music and teaches him to play the banjo.

When John forms a school band called “The Quarrymen”, a shy youngster called Paul McCartney (Thomas Brodie Sangster) is keen to join. Despite his age he is already some expert guitar player. It is interesting to see the relationship developing between quiet baby-faced Paul and the seemingly tough John.

The movie is based on a memoir by Lennon’s half-sister Julia Baird. For her impressive directorial debut Samantha Taylor-Wood received the Art Cinema Award. (Birgit Schrumpf)

Hamburg Film Critics’ Award to
Pulsar, director and script Alex Stockmann, Belgium

Foreign Press Award to
Beyond, director Permilla August, Sweden
Leena (34) is happily married with a loving family. Her own dark and painful childhood experiences are successfully suppressed until she has to face her dying mother. This thrilling psychological family drama is skilfully filmed, smoothly incorporating scenes from the child’s perspective. The story of domestic abuse is an adaptation of the Swedish bestseller Svinalångorna by Susanna Alakoski which is also the original title of the movie. Pernilla August, a well-known Swedish actress, presents her film as a director which earned her the directorial debut prize in Venice. A stellar cast with Noomi Rapace (of the Stieg Larsson-Trilogy), Ola Parace and Finnish actors Ville Virtanen and Outi Mäenpää make it a memorable, if haunting, experience. The child Leena is played by the rising star Tehilla Blad (BS)

Best First Film Award (Die Elfe) of Euro 5000 to
Shrouds, director Shalom Hager, Israel

Häagen-Dazs Audience Prize of Euro 5000 to
Oldboys, director Nikolaj Steen, Denmark

Montblanc Screenplay Award of Euro 10,000 to
Pete the Heat, director and script, Henna Peschel, Germany

TV Producer Prize of Euro 30,000 to
Etwas Besseres als den Tod, director Nicole Weegmann, Germany

Short film, Student Prize of Euro 10,000 to
Hamburg Wildlife, directors Gido Griese/Jens Lorenz, Germany

Best Children’s Film (Michael Award) ofEuro 5000 to
Spork, J.B. Ghuman Jr., USA

May we boo the Senator of Culture?
Julian Schnabel received the Douglas Sirk award for his life’s work. Several VIPs spoke highly of his accomplishments, including Reinhard Stuth, Hamburg’s Senator of Culture. He has not been on the job very long and was loudly booed by the audience. Schnabel had no clue what or who was so unpopular. Did anyone take time to explain to him that the Deutsches Schauspielhaus and the Altona Museum stand to be closed down? Money is tight for culture and film fans expressed their displeasure. On the other hand is one allowed to receive an important prize in an important city while wearing pyjamas? But that’s another story.  (BT)

Beyond
Leena (34) is happily married with a loving family. Her own dark and painful childhood experiences are successfully suppressed until she has to face her dying mother. This thrilling psychological family drama is skilfully filmed, smoothly incorporating scenes from the child’s perspective. The story of domestic abuse is an adaptation of the Swedish bestseller Svinalängorna by Susanna Alakoski which is also the original title of the movie.

Pernilla August, a well-known Swedish actress, presents her first film as a director which earned her the directorial debut prize in Venice. A stellar cast with Noomi Rapace (of the Stieg-Larsson-Triology), Ola Rapace and Finnish actors Ville Virtanen and Outi Mäenpää make it a memorable, if haunting, experience. The child Leena is played by the rising star Tehilla Blad.  (BS)

Nowhere Boy
Samantha Taylor-Wood and scriptwriter Matt Greenhalgh present a moving and dramatic story of a boy growing up between two women squabbling for his attention, namely tight-lipped aunt Mimi (excellently played by Kristin Scott Thomas) who looks after him and his flirtatious young mother Julia (Anne-Marie Duff) who abandoned him when he was only five years old. This is the background of rebellious but sensitive John Lennon in his teens (excellently portrayed by Aaron Johnson).

The carefully arranged set in the style of the 1950s transports the atmosphere of post WWII England perfectly. Rebellion against the establishment and restlessness of the new generation is in the air. Elvis Presley is the hero of the day and young John wants to become like him. He finds an outlet for his anger and frustration by vigorously strumming his guitar. The temporary reunion with his mother – played by a vibrant Anne-Marie Duff – is more confusing than helpful to the teenager. The relationship seems almost incestuous when she dances and parties with her son. But she also introduces him to music and teaches him to play the banjo.

When John forms a school band called “The Quarrymen”, a shy youngster called Paul McCartney (Thomas Brodie Sangster) is keen to join. Despite his age he is already some expert guitar player. It is interesting to see the relationship developing between quiet baby-faced Paul and the seemingly tough John.

The movie is based on a memoir by Lennon’s half-sister Julia Baird. For her impressive directorial debut Samantha Taylor-Wood received the Art Cinema Award. (BS)

Miral
Julian Schnabel, winner of the Douglas Sirk prize at this year’s Hamburg Filmfest, and deservedly so, showed his newest film, Miral. Schnabel is a brave man to direct a movie about Palestine which isn’t about the Jewish struggle for existence, but he has succeeded in giving a fair and balanced account of life there since the State of Israel came into being in 1948.

Hind Husseini (a real person) was a young woman living in Jerusalem at that time. One day, on her way to work, she came across a group of 55 children huddled together in the street. These traumatised Palestinian children had lost their parents as the equally traumatised Jews began to take back their ancient homeland. Ms. Husseini (Hiam Abbas) took the children home and settled them into an orphanage. As their numbers grew she founded more orphanages and decided that the orphans would all be educated so that they in turn could go out to the Palestinian refugee camps and teach the children there. These schools and orphanages are still in operation today and are continuing her policy of educating the refugee children to practice peace and cooperation.

The girl of the title Miral (Frieda Pinto) was sent to the orphanage when she was seven years old after the death of her troubled mother. When Miral grows up she is outraged at what she sees as the injustices which the Palestinian people suffer. She becomes involved in street protests, despite Ms. Husseini’s pleas. Miral suffers for her tiny part in her nation’s struggle, but she is a survivor and is someone who is now resolute in the belief that peace between Jews and Palestinians can prevail.

Julian Schnabel’s documentary style movie is set against the desolate beauty of the Holy Land. He tries to take a balanced view of the problems of that part of the world and manages to give the audience a feeling of hope for the future of all its people. (JM)